


Buying The Harpies

by Average_White_Writer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Holyhead Harpies, Quidditch, badly understood economics, old men being dicks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 21:11:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18978421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Average_White_Writer/pseuds/Average_White_Writer
Summary: Ginny's not having a great time at the Harpies and Harry will do anything to make her happy.





	1. Chapter 1

“This is so fucking annoying!” Ginny shouted into the empty hallway of Grimmauld place not really intending to inform anyone: it was mainly for herself. “Stupid management. Stupid board.” She then muttered as she kicked off her shoes in the rough direction of the shoe rack.  
She stomped her way towards the kitchen, down the stairs and into the pantry, she knew what she wanted and she knew how to get it. It was times like this that she’d never been more glad that, together with Harry, she’d found the entrance to the wine cellar. And on top of that she’d never been happier that the Black family wine cellar contained not just too much wine to drink in several lifetimes but also a vast amounts of spirits. Firewhiskey being the majority part of the collection and it was very lucky that firewhiskey also happened on being Ginny’s favourite. A double win for all in the end.  
She grabbed a bottle near the front. It was probably a newer bottle; it was true that the spirit got better with age but Ginny didn’t care at this point. This wasn’t the end of day drink cuddled up with Harry next to the fire; this was a mid-afternoon piss up her mother would thoroughly disapprove of.  
Going back into the kitchen, slamming doors behind her, Ginny settled at one of the chairs and summoned a tumbler to her.  
She wasn’t going to drink from the bottle. She wasn’t that pissed off. Not yet anyway.  
She’d finished pouring her first measure when Harry made his way into the kitchen. Dressed in an ACDC shirt and dark jeans with his hair looking like he’d just got out of bed he looked like an unemployed youth her Aunt Muriel had always complained about. And the couple of days old stubble decorating his chin certainly wouldn’t have helped.  
“Hey Gin, tough day?” He said as he crossed the room picking up a tumbler for himself from the shelf before sitting opposite her.  
“The managements being annoying again.” Ginny said between sip only taking the time to slide Harry the bottle before raising her glass once more to her lips.  
“What are they doing now?” Harry asked as he poured himself a far smaller measure than the one Ginny had poured for herself.  
“They won’t let us train!” she said slamming her glass down on the table. “They keep dragging us off to do photoshoots and interviews and all sorts of rubbish that won’t change the fact that we’ve lost the first eight games of this year!”  
“Well surely they know that the team won’t win unless they let you guys train together?”  
“I don’t think they care!” Ginny exclaimed, her drink now forgotten as she waved her hands around in the air in frustration. “They keep saying that we need to do all this bullshit to raise more money for the club. They’re saying that if we don’t pose for this stupid calendar tomorrow, we could all loose our jobs!” Ginny appeared to have remembered her drink at this point and downed what had been left.  
“What calendar?” Harry asked. He didn’t know why another photoshoot would tip Ginny over the edge like this.  
“It’s like they don’t realise that the real money in the game goes to the winning team. And to win the league you have to win games. It’s ridiculous.” Ginny ranted ignoring Harry’s question. “But they insist that the clubs on the brink of bankruptcy and that if we don’t go to all these club member’s socials and this stupid fucking, piece of shit calendar shoot we’ll be laid off because the club won’t be able to pay our salaries!”  
“What calendar, Gin?” She’d mentioned it more than any other   
“I don’t want to pose for the calendar, Harry.” Ginny quietly over the top of her now empty glass. Ginny sometimes became a bit more introspective when she was a little bit tipsy. Especially if something was weighing on her mind. “But I don’t want to lose my job. I don’t want to lose the Harpies.”  
“Why don’t you want to pose for the calendar, Gin, isn’t it like every other photo shoot you’ve done for the club?” Ginny was hiding her face against her arms while they rested on the table now but Harry could still see the shake of her head. “If the team is just having a couple of money issues then I could always donate some old Black gold to help lighten the load off of you players. Just imagine the look on old Walburga’s face! Sirius would love it!” He’d meant it as a joke but it wasn’t sounding like a bad idea now he’d said it aloud.  
Ginny looked up from where she’d been resting her head. “That won’t work by tomorrow, Harry.” She said pouring herself another measure of firewhiskey. Without pausing for thought or doubt she knocked back her second glass in one go before slamming the tumbler back down on the table. “It’s a naked calendar, Harry. They’re forcing all the players, from the first team to the reserves, to pose for this stupid calendar under the threat of losing their jobs. Even if it is about money, which I don’t think it is, I just think that the club is run by a group of old perverts who get a kick out of making people submit to their wills and desires.”  
Harry saw red.  
No one should be able to exert that kind of influence over anyone. No one should be able to exert that kind of influence over Ginny, his Ginny. His wonderful, powerful Ginny who these bastards had driven to drink in the early afternoon with their perverted desires and twisted morals.  
Harry of before the war would have flipped. Apperating to Holyhead and cursing the entire management till they regretted being born. But Harry from now? Harry who’d live and fought through conflict and spent a year as part of the beating heart of the Auror Office knew better. Cursing people doesn’t get anything done outside of a battlefield. No he’d have to try other methods to make this messed up situation better for Ginny.  
“Hey, Gin, Kingsley asked me to meet him in about five minutes. I don’t have to go, if you don’t want me to. I can stay here with you?” He didn’t have a meeting with Kingsley, just the beginnings of a plan to sort everything out but Ginny didn’t need to know that now, she’d only argue with him about it and while he was fairly certain that she’d agree with him once she’d taken time to think it over he couldn’t wait that long: time was of the essence.  
“No, I’ll be okay. Go help Kingsley run the world.” She said with a sad smile.  
“I could floo your mum, or Hermione? Just to keep you company if you want?” He wasn’t sure about leaving her on her own with the bottle of firewhiskey so close at hand.   
“Go, Harry.” She fixed him with a stare and he knew she’d be alright.  
With her blessing, Harry turned and made his way to the front door. Once outside, stood on the top step where magic hid him from anyone on the street before him, he disapperated.  
He reappeared in Diagon Ally just outside the grand entrance of Gringotts. Taking a moment Harry looked up at the magnificent building, a reminder that the Goblins could do anything wizard kind could do, though they’d surely argue that theirs was better. Stopping that thought before the other people in the ally recognised him, Harry quickly made his way into the bank. Thankfully most of the wizarding community were working at this time so Harry didn’t have to waste potentially necessary time waiting in a que to get the chance to speak to one of the tellers.  
“I’d like to see my account manager.” He stated clearly. He’d learn since the breaking in incident that Goblins didn’t appreciate those who minced their words and wasted time, a sentiment that Harry agreed with. It was always better to be blunt and to the point when dealing with business.   
“Name?” The goblin asked, not looking up. They never did. Though no one accused Gringotts on mastering customer service.   
He took a quick look of the room before saying “Potter,” quietly. He didn’t need a picture of him at the bank in the paper tomorrow.  
The goblin looked up now, suddenly having found something more interesting than the account books they’d been studying.  
“I’ll arrange it at once, Mr Potter. If you’d like to take a seat someone will come to collect you as soon as possible.”  
Harry smiled in thanks before turning to do as the goblin had suggested.  
Harry cleared his mind while he waited. It wouldn’t do to be distracted while in a potentially life changing business meeting. He could risk stray thoughts of what he was going to cook for Ginny later that day, or how the auror office was cooping now that he’d left, or whether this was a hair brained scheme that was born from his need to keep those closest to him happy despite any personal cost.  
But none of that mattered right now. What mattered now was making sure this meeting went well so that he could make Ginny happy again.  
Soon, maybe five though definitely no more than ten minutes later, a new goblin approached Harry.  
“Mr Potter?” the goblin asked and, upon seeing Harry’s nod, continued, “Please follow me to your account manager’s office.”  
The goblin didn’t wait for Harry to say or signal that he would follow the bank worker, just bustling across the banks lobby in a hurry. Goblins almost always were in Harry’s experience.   
Harry followed the unnamed goblin through a couple of undesignable corridors before it stopped in front of a large imposing black door.  
“This is your account manager’s office.” The goblin said before leaving in the same hurried stride that had taken them to the door.  
Harry studied the door for a second. A habit from his year with the aurors. Small details could potentially tell an investigator much about their subject. In this case, the way this goblin maintained the outside of his working space told Harry that he took pride in his work. The door though old had a fresh coat of paint on it. Within the last six months, definitely since Harry had last been forced to speak to his account manager to sort out the whole break in fiasco. The only flaw on the door was the plaque. The name ‘Black’ once carved there with great love and attention was scuffed, scratched and, quite frankly, dirty. This could be interpreted that the particular goblin working this account didn’t really think much of their client. This, Harry knew, was mainly because of the break in but was also influenced by the people who’d held the Black accounts in the past being bigoted knobs.   
Harry knocked on the door and the door quickly opened by itself. Walking through the now open door, Harry inclined his head as way of a respectful greeting. The goblin behind the desk returned the gesture and Harry took the seat in front of the desk.  
“What’s the meaning of this meeting you’ve asked for, Mr Potter?” The goblin asked.  
“I want to buy a quidditch team, Grabnag.” Harry told him.  
“Any particular preference to which one, Mr Potter.”  
“The Holyhead Harpies, please.”  
The goblin looked up to meet Harry’s eyes, his own being narrowed and giving nothing of his thoughts away. “Are you aware that the Holyhead Harpies are not owned by just one owner, Mr Potter?” Harry shook his head. “Then you should know that the Holyhead Harpies are owned by its shareholders with a board of directors made up of the shareholders that own the most shares.”  
Harry nodded, he’d understood so far. “Is there a way I can own it by myself?” He didn’t want any of the old perverts on the current board having any control over Ginny.  
Grabnag smirked and Harry didn’t know if he’d like the answer.  
“Of course there is, Mr Potter, though you’ll want to stick to legal channels so that narrows it down to two serious options.” Harry was almost completely sure that Grabnag looked down on him for wanting to do business within the law. “The first of which is that you buy all the shares from all of the board members and become the only person with enough influence over the club to make decisions making you the owner by default. This would be very difficult to do as you’d have to enter talks with all current board members and would more than likely cost you your entire fortune in the process. Or, you could just buy the majority of shares of the club and decide that you’re taking the company private, making you the sole owner of the club. This would be slightly easier and less expensive as you’d have to do less negotiating as you’re trying to get less shares and once the company’s gone private it’s yours in its entirety.”  
Harry thought it over, the second option was clearly better though one thing was bugging him. “What happened to the people’s shares I don’t buy when the club goes private?”  
“They lose them.” Grabnag said bluntly. “Of course you could offer to buy them out at a reduced rate so that they don’t lose everything of course but that would be a waste of gold.”  
Harry was shocked. How could he possibly be so harsh, to take away what these people had paid for with no notice and no recompense. How could he even be considering this!  
They were perverts! A voice screamed from the back of his head. They were threatening Ginny’s job for the sake of a stupid calendar!  
Harry was decided.   
“I want you to do the second option.” Harry told Grabnag.  
The goblin smiled widen and Harry couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling about this.  
“Good.” Grabnag said. “I’ll have the Harpies file pulled so we can start planning out a strategy to buy out enough shares. When do you want to have control of the club?”  
Harry smiled sheepishly, his hands suddenly sweaty in his lap. “Tomorrow morning.” He half asked, half told the goblin.  
Grabnag sighed, “Well at least it’ll be an interesting challenge.”  
Within the next minute another goblin arrived with what Harry assumed to be the Holyhead Harpies file. Grabnag laid it out on the desk and began to study the records. Harry tried to have a look but it was all written in gobbledegope and he didn’t understand a word.  
After a couple minutes of mutterings and page flipping Grabnag looked up. “Well I have some good news. The Harpies stock value has been falling recently so this will make it cheaper for you to buy shares and you get a couple of spooked investors trying to sell before it falls further and they potentially lose more money.” Harry nodded along, the Harpies recent string of loses must mean that people are valuing the team less than they had before. “From the looks of this file there’s already a couple of shareholders that are trying to sell all their holdings in the Harpies right now at market value. With your permission I’ll buy these as soon as possible. I’d recommend doing this as they won’t require any further negotiation than handing over the gold and they’ll be the cheapest ones you buy today.”  
“Do it, Grabnag. I give you full permission to use the Black vault to buy the majority share of the Holyhead Harpies.” Harry said knowing that now that was said he wouldn’t need to sit in the office and ‘okay’ every transaction Grabnag does.  
“Assuming I’m successful in your overnight buyout of the Harpies I’ll need you here in the morning to sign the papers to make it official that the company is going private.”  
Harry nodded. “Please keep me updated about your progress and weather you think that’ll you’ll get it done.”  
The goblin nodded slightly, his head already buried in the account book while one hand scratched out a note of something onto a piece of parchment.   
Harry could only hope everything went well now and that he could find his way back out of the bank.

Harry wasn’t there when Ginny woke up the next morning. No instead of her nice warm boyfriend she woke up to a cold bed and a note saying that Andromeda needed Harry to look after Teddy this morning as she’d come down with an illness.   
Though she’d smiled slightly at the thought of Harry spending time with his godson it was quickly followed by a wince. After Harry had gotten back from his meeting with Kingsley the two of them had hit the bottle hard. Harry didn’t normally encouraged drinking as heavily as they had on nights before she had to work but he’d seemed a bit distracted all night long. She couldn’t remember whether he’d told her what was bothering him so she’d have to find out later. She then found a bottle of hangover cure potion behind the note and she thanked the gods that Harry took care of her even when he wasn’t here in person. Though she noticed that there was about half gone already so Harry must have been feeling a rough this morning too  
For some reason this made her feel a little bit better.  
Swigging the remainder of the potion she got up and threw on some clothes. Not really paying attention to what she was putting on as she’d only get redressed by the styling at this stupid calendar shoot that she was doing this morning.   
On her way to the floo, Ginny made two slices of toast and covered them both in her mother’s homemade blackberry jam. She ate the first as she skimmed through the sport section of the Daily Prophet. There was something about the Harpies in there but she didn’t read it. She didn’t want to read the latest version of the ‘women can’t play quidditch’ argument that the more… traditional columnists subscribed to. No instead she read about Portree’s new signing from the continent.   
Her toast done, Ginny entered the floo readying herself for a day of flouncing and posing.  
Emerging from the floo at the Harpies stadium, Ginny made her way through to the press office. This was where they had met the photographers and so far that morning Ginny had no reason to suspect that anything was any different than before.  
Second piece of toast in one hand as the other rubbed the sleep from her eye, she’d made it to the press office.   
“Down at the pitch today miss Weasley.” Someone from the office called out, Ginny didn’t see who.  
Ginny mumbled a thank you as she span around on her heal and made her way to the pitch.  
She found Gwenog at the end of the tunnel to the pitch with almost all of the other players. Ginny quickly slotted herself into the group. Catching up on the gossip about which one of the interns was brave enough to ask one of the players out on a date this week as well as trying to find out why the photoshoot was happening on the pitch today instead of in a studio. Some of the girls seemed to think there’d been a shakeup at the top of the club overnight and that that was the reason they were on the pitch.  
Gwenog was smirking slightly, she definitely knew what had happened and apparently wasn’t going to share it any time soon.  
“Gin Gin!”   
Ginny spun round just in time for a purple haired two, but nearly three, year old missile to slam in to her knees.  
“Teddy?” Ginny said as she squatted down to pick up her boyfriend’s godson. “How did you get here?”  
Of course she knew it must have been something to do with Harry but asking Teddy almost always made the little tyke explain what was happening in the cutest way.  
“Harry, said we was going to surprise you!” He said as she balanced him on her hip, he was really getting too big for this.  
“Are you my surprise, Teddy?” She asked. Honestly she didn’t know what Harry had done, both Harry and Teddy could get in really trouble if management if this wasn’t all above board.   
“Nope.” The toddler popped to ‘p’. He looked very smug.  
“Are you going to tell me?”  
The boy shook his head as he buried it into her side. His hair was slowly turning red: a dead giveaway that he was excited.   
“Please tell me Teddy.” Ginny pleaded with the child. “We can have ice cream later if you tell me.”  
Teddy very quickly pulled himself away from her, mouth open, ready to spill the beans.  
“Don’t tell her Ted! Stay strong!” It was Harry.  
He was surrounded by some of the senior staff but it didn’t look like they were trying to escort him out of there so maybe they weren’t going to get into trouble.  
“Why are you here Harry?” I asked him.   
“Well as I’m looking after the world’s biggest Harpy fan for the day I thought I’d bring him along to meet the team.” Teddy turned his hair green, even managing some gold highlights causing a couple of the girls to coo and giggle. “Anyway, I hear you girls have a photoshoot today.” He said, addressing the entire squad. This caused a groan and Teddy to blow a raspberry. Andi didn’t normally want him doing that but this once Ginny thought it was appropriate. Harry simply smiled and Ginny couldn’t help but think that he knew something the team didn’t. “Well I don’t think Teddy wants to see a photoshoot so I think you should go and train. Got a couple of big matches coming up and I’d hate it if you weren’t ready.”  
Ginny was confused.  
“But Mr Potter that’s not your decision. This photoshoot was booked by the club’s board. No one can overrule it.” One of Ginny’s teammates explained.  
Harry smiled in that lopsided fashion that made Ginny’s knees weak. “Well then, it’s a good thing there’s been a change in club leadership.”  
“What!” seemed to be the general consensus.  
“Whose taken over Harry?” Ginny asked.  
“I have.”  
The room was silent.  
Harry looked awkward, like he hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. “Well girls, I’ve got a couple of things I want to say before I let you go.”  
Still silent.  
“Firstly, I want this club to win. That’s my main and most important goal. This is a quidditch team and your meant to be the best. I want to help you become this and will throw all of the company behind you.” A most of the girls were nodding, they clearly liked Harry’s line of thinking. “Secondly, I’m going to cut down on the amount of promotions you have to do. If our fans are here for the pictures, interviews or calendars,” Harry looked directly at Ginny for a second, “then they’re not proper fans. I want our fans to support us because they think that we’re the best and that we’ll win.” That almost all the team behind Harry but Ginny knew that there’d still be some with their misgivings. “Thirdly, most of you probably know that I’m dating Ginny.” Nods and ‘yes’s all round. “Well I’d like to squash any potential rumours of favouritism by saying to you that I will have no say in selection as I will be leaving it up to your coach, Gwenog.”  
All the girls were clearly on Harry’s side now and Ginny couldn’t help but grin. A grin she tried to hide by tucking her face into Teddy’s neck.  
She was not successful.  
“Well if that’s all, I better let you girls get training so you can start winning!” Harry said. He was met by more than a couple of ‘woop’s and ‘yeah’s as the team rushed onto the pitch. Ginny stayed behind.   
Putting Teddy on the floor so he could follow the team out on to the pitch she walked over to Harry. “You didn’t do this for me, did you?”  
Harry smiled slightly. “Of course I did this for you. I will forever and always do whatever I can to make you happy. Even if it means spending vast amounts of gold that I inherited from people who would have hated me and my existence.” Harry joked. “But seriously, I love you and I hate to see you unhappy. The Harpies management was causing you to be unhappy so I did all I could to make you feel better.”  
Ginny pulled Harry into a tight hug, face pushed up against his upper chest. “I love you, Harry.” She mumbled into his shirt.  
“Love you too, Gin.” Harry whispered back. “Now go practice. I want to get my money back from this team so I need you to win. And I want my girlfriend to be in the starting team so you need to be the best!” Ginny smiled up at him before pushing herself onto her toes to share a quick kiss with him. “Go get ‘em, Gin.” Harry said, and with a light slap on the bum, Ginny was off.


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday brought the first Harpies game with Harry in charge. It was a home game but playing the Arrow’s anywhere was a hard task, particularly for the underperforming Harpies of this season.  
Ever since Harry had bought out the Harpies and taken the team private the news media had been going mad. New stories were popping up all the time. They ranged from the financial consequences and the estimated cost of the buyout to what it could mean for the team’s performance. There were also articles spreading rumours that Harry had bought out the team so that Ginny would make the first team and more scandalous stories about how the team was now Harry’s harem.  
Despite the nasty newspaper articles Ginny was much happier than she’d been in the previous week. She’d been able to play quidditch every day since Harry had taken over and there had already been a positive change in how the team were playing. Her home life had also picked up. Harry was now much busier than he had been since he’d left the aurors, but it had been a good thing. His mind was now occupied and he wasn’t spending most of his time around Grimmauld place. Which could only be a good thing in Ginny’s mind.  
Though he tried to hide it from her, Ginny knew that the old Black family house still haunted Harry. It taunted him, reminding him of what could have been, what he lost how much he sacrificed. Ginny knew that eventually there would be enough happier memories around their home to make it easier for Harry to bear but that would only really be papering over the cracks. To be honest, Ginny had wanted for them to get their own house. One that they picked, or even built themselves, not one that was left to them by a dark family that had caused them and the world so much pain. Though she wouldn’t mind adopting the Black family liquor selection. She just didn’t know how to bring it up with Harry. She knew how he hung on to one the last bits of Sirius he had left but maybe now that they were both working at Holyhead Ginny may have a way to convince him.  
Ginny stopped day dreaming when Gwenog came into the changing rooms. She too seemed happier over the week, no doubt because the club was once more a quidditch focused club again. They’d trained hard all week long, Gwenog no doubt pushing them so they can try to catch up on missed time. Ginny herself had pushed herself even harder than she’d thought possible. She knew that now if she got selected people would say it was only because Harry owned the club so she needed to be the best possible player she could be to silence the critics.  
Harry had been keeping to his promise to stay out of selection though he had been spotted in the stands watching the practice sessions and having long, in-depth chats with Gwenog afterwards. He’d told Ginny that it was about the Harpies seeker and that he was giving Gwenog some tips on seeker drills and training, but Ginny suspected more. She knew Harry loved to play quidditch, and she wouldn’t be that surprised if he tried out for a club before the start of the next season, but if that didn’t happen she’d be equally unsurprised if he made his way on to the coaching team. He’d always been a good teacher.  
“Okay girls, there’s had to be a last minute change.” Gwenog said, frowning. “Victoria was hexed in the back by a drunk Arrows fan on the way here.” The team cried out in shock and outrage. Ginny didn’t know what to think, were people really willing to stoop that low. “I’ve been told there’s no need to worry, she’s with healers now and the drunk is in DMLE custody. While she won’t be able to play today she’ll be back with us for Monday morning training.”  
Gwenog took a deep breath. “For today that means that Natalie will be moved to starting chaser and Ginny will be chaser replacement.”  
Ginny gulped.  
Of course she knew that for this season she’d mainly be there for injury cover for situations just like this one. But this could be her first game of professional level quidditch. Would her parents be there to watch? Her brothers? Her friends?  
She’d always hoped her first game would be momentously announced, put in the paper where everyone she’d ever met could she what she’d achieved. Her parents would be so proud they wouldn't stop talking about it for weeks on end.  
But then maybe it was better this way. Less pressure, less expectation. No one in the crowd would recognise her. She’d just be a nobody to forget about after the game if she didn’t play well.  
Yes, it was better this way. If she came on it would just be like any other game of quidditch she’d played. Yes, this way was best.  
The Harpies soon made their way out on to the pitch, the players more subdued than usual the news of the recent attack on one of their own. Ginny took her place on the bench as the starting seven got into position around the centre circle.  
Time was seemingly slowing down.  
The snitch was released.  
Ginny could hear her heart beating, the constant pulse echoing around her ears.  
The bludgers were released.  
She was starting to feel dizzy, a sinking feeling in her stomach.  
After what felt like an eternity the referee blew the whistle as she threw the quaffle into the air.  
Players were darting around and Ginny couldn’t keep track. She didn’t know who had possession of the quaffle. She didn’t know if the Harpies were being pummelled by the bludgers or if the Harpies beaters were keeping them safe. She didn’t know if the seekers had yet spotted the snitch. Merlin, she didn’t even know the score.  
She put her head between her legs hoping to feel a bit better.  
She didn’t know how much time but she wasn’t feeling any better when someone tapped her shoulder.  
Looking up she saw it was Gwenog.  
“Start to warm up, Weasley, you’re going to go on in five.” And with that her world could have stopped.  
She had five minutes to get ready.  
She was going on!  
She was going to play a professional game of quidditch.  
She quickly jumped up. She needed to get ready! She needed to warm up. She had to stretch, get her blood pumping, she was about to play a game of quidditch! You couldn’t go into a proper game of quidditch cold. No! You needed to warmed up and ready to go.  
She started to jog, doing a couple shuttles in front of the Harpies bench before going into a set of dynamic stretches. Making to focus first on her calves, hamstrings, quads and groin. Manoeuvring a broom at professional standards was hard work on your legs and she didn’t want to let her team down. After her legs she focused on loosening up her shoulders, neck and upper arms. While they would also help her control her broom, they also had the added pressure of throwing, catching and controlling the quaffle.  
When Ginny felt she was ready she grabbed her broom and checked it over once more. Was the shaft polished enough, were the tail twigs straight enough?  
Merlin why did she have to have these doubts now!  
There was a stoppage in play and Gwenog screamed “Weasley, go!” and Ginny jumped on her broom and kicked off, she was just about able to register that Natalie had blood pouring down her face from her cut on her forehead but she didn’t have time to dwell on it: she had a game to play.  
All too soon the referee signalled the end of the time out and the Arrows retain possession from before. Ginny was out of position; she hadn’t been ready but she was trying to get back into the right place.  
The Harpies liked to play with a woman-on-man defensive structure. The aim was to get close and stay close to one member of the opposition, to frustrate them into making mistakes, being closer also meant that the beaters were putting their own team mates at risk when trying to hit Harpies with bludgers. Their, on average, smaller body mass meant they couldn’t make the big one on one hits that other teams favoured but this defensive system still allowed them to be competitive with the bigger, stronger teams.  
But it only worked if all the chasers were alert and in the correct pace at all times!  
And Ginny wasn’t.  
And the arrows had seen it. Ginny was rushing to get to her man but could already see the pass in the air! The Arrow’s player had had to loop it over Nicola’s head so it was taking a long time to fly through the air. Ginny could see it, almost be able to predict exactly where the quaffle was going to fall: right into the arms of the open and undefended arrows chaser. Ginny flattened herself against her broom, trying to get every last ounce of speed from the broom beneath her, trying every seeker tip she’d ever picked up while playing at Hogwarts.  
The Arrow’s player was looking over his shoulder, tracking the movement of the ball. He didn’t know that Ginny was coming.  
She allowed herself to smile, she was going to make it.  
Just before the collision, Ginny pulled up, her tail almost grazing across the opposition players face, and took the quaffle in two hands before tucking it under one and racing towards the arrows goal hoops.  
She could only just hear the roar of the Harpies fans over the rush of the wind and the thump of her pulse echoing around her ear. But she knew what she had to do as she once more flattened herself against the broom to go faster as she shot towards the goal.  
Her interception had caught the Arrows unawares so she’d met no defenders on her way towards the rings, the Harpies beaters must have had control of the bludger as she broke away as nothing was chasing her. A quick scan around told Ginny that all the other chasers, for the Harpies and the Arrows, were too far away to be either an attacking option for her to use or as a defender in her way so she knew it was going to be a one on one with the keeper.  
She was approaching down the middle of the pitch and hence the goal keeper was guarding the middle hoop, though they still had both hands on their broom so they could control it well to cover the two outside hoops if she shot towards those.  
Ginny tried to remember the analysis of the keeper that the team had done in preparation for the game in the week but she was drawing nothing. What side did they favour? Which was their dominant hand? How was their broom control? She couldn’t remember anything!  
Once she was within ten metres of the hoops, Ginny had made up her mind. She’d pulled this shot off what must have been nearly a million times; at the burrow against Ron, at Hogwarts against the other houses, in training against her fellow Harpies.  
She dove to the right.  
The keeper followed, guarding the near side hoop.  
She shot left.  
The angle was tight, the target smaller so her throw had to be on point!  
The keeper tried to go the other way but all he could do was watch as the ball passed his out stretched fingers.  
Time seemed to slow for Ginny as she watched the ball, she was now behind the posts so she couldn’t judge the trajectory as well: she didn’t know if it would go in.  
The ball passed through the left hoop.  
The crowd roared.  
Ginny didn’t know what to do.  
Should she celebrate?  
How should she celebrate?  
She looked back towards her team mates, they were smiling but quickly turned to fly back to their own half.  
Of course!  
Ginny almost slapped herself, the Arrows could restart play at any time so she had to get back to their own half so she would be ready to defend the next play.  
The Arrows restarted and after her intercept they were doing more conservative, safer passes to their team mates, and as they came into the Harpies half Ginny’s opposite man had the quaffle. This time she played it by the book. She got up close trying to bother and frustrate him. Not letting him have any space to pass as she maneuverer herself so that she was pushing him towards the stands and away from any support. She managed to hit the ball a couple of times in her attempts before her opposite spun away and retreated to give him more space for the pass that he then sent to one of his team mates.  
Not wanting to make the same mistake as before, Ginny shot up to her man to close down the space. Only he was done when he moved back, once Ginny had started moving towards him he shot towards the goal going round the outside of Ginny in an arching line that would put him in open space in front of the goal with no chaser to cover him.  
Ginny tried to correct, turning as quick as possible to try and close the distance but she was chasing him about a brooms length behind. His team mate managed to get the pass off and he caught the quaffle without slowing at all but Ginny didn’t give up the chase.  
That didn’t stop him being against the keeper with no defenders in front of him though. He was approaching from the keepers right, and him being a right hander would make the throw to the unguarded far hoop a bit harder but at professional level that should no longer be a problem for first string chasers. But this man, he seemed to have a problem, he slowed down as he pulled back his arm to throw; he slowed down enough for Ginny to catch and take the quaffle from him completely as she flew over the top of him.  
And she may or may not have accidentally clipped his head with her foot as she went passed but that was an accident.  
She turned and looked up to see a different Arrows chaser barrelling towards her, looking passed him she saw Nicola in wide open space. Waiting till he was almost on top of her she threw the pass to Nicola before trying to turn out of the way but bracing herself for the impact anyway. And though it was a glancing hit it almost took her off her broom. Apparently this Arrows team weren’t her biggest fans. Ginny couldn’t stop herself from grinning to herself as she flew towards the Arrows goal to see if she could help. But even without her it was a two on one and the Harpies sunk another goal.  
Play continued for the rest of the ten minute blood replacement that Ginny had been subbed on for and then she was called back off the field and Natalie went back on for her. In the rest of that time the Harpies had scored only once more goal and the Arrows had managed to get one in as well that Ginny was kicking herself for. She should have been watching for a loop under play!  
But she was happy and pleased with her first ever taste of professional quidditch. She’d scored her first goal and assisted another and most importantly she managed to keep up! She wasn’t massively out of her league as all her doubts and fears had been telling her since she’d got this job. She’d kept up and she’d done herself proud.  
As she took her seat back on the bench, Gwenog came over. “Good job Weasley, you did good out there.” She said with a pat on Ginny’s shoulder before walking back to her own seat to continue watching the game. 

//

The game finished 260 points for the Harpies to the Arrow’s 250. They’d won! Despite the Arrows seeker catching the snitch. Really it was being reported as a Harpies thrashing, the press reporting that the Harpies had been dominant in all areas of the game outside of seeking and that they’d re-announced themselves as a ‘real contender’ under their new management.  
She’d managed not to see anything about herself yet and she didn’t know if she wanted to. She couldn’t tell if they’d spin it in a positive or negative way. Because while she thought she’d played well, she wouldn’t put it passed the more gossip focused journalists to use her inclusion on the team to slander Harry or to stir up imaginary drama.  
She was in the team changing rooms celebrating with the team when Gwenog came in.  
“Ginny, you’ve got someone outside wanting to talk to you.” She said, she seemed to be masking a laugh but Ginny wasn’t sure: she didn’t know Gwenog well enough yet.  
So Ginny thanked her coach and went outside the changing room. She turned the corner out of the door to see her entire family led by Harry and Teddy at the front of the pack.  
She was shocked! How did they get here? She wasn’t even meant to be playing today!  
“What!? How?” Ginny managed to splutter out as Teddy crashed into her legs.  
Harry just smirked at her. “Owning a team has to have some benefits, Gin, and when I heard you were on the bench and I knew there was a slight chance you might be playing for the first time I knew I had to get everyone here.” He said as he took the few steps needed to close the gap between them.  
Teddy had started fussing, so Ginny lifted him up, balancing the small boy on her hip.  
“What do you think, Ted, did I play the well?” Ginny asked him.  
His eyes lit up, quite literally as the entire eye ball turned a slightly terrifying gold, and his hair turned Harpy green. “You were the bestest Gin Gin! You scored! And you throwed the ball so good!”  
“Teddy’s right, Gin, you really were the bestest player out there today.” Harry said through a laugh.  
“You guys are supposed to say that.” Ginny muttered.  
“That doesn’t mean it’s not true.” Harry replied before placing a kiss on her forehead and taking Teddy from her arms. “Now I think your other fans want to see you.”  
Ginny looked passed him to see the rest of her family, she’d almost forgotten it wasn’t just her, Harry and Teddy. Her mum was looking at her with a small smile no doubt because of how domestic her and Harry were when they were with Teddy. But she couldn’t be bothered to bring herself to care that much. She knew what she wanted their future to look like. Though any more than Teddy would have to wait a while. Like until she was done with Quidditch.  
Harry watched on as Ginny was congratulated by her family. Molly and Arthur gushed; Charlie and Ron offered some pointers; Bill, Percy and George laughed at their brothers with her; Fleur, holding Victorie, and Hermione congratulated her on a game well played.  
“Thanks guys, but I hardly played. The other girls deserve your praise more than I do.” Ginny said.  
“But you did play, Gin.” Harry’s voice came from behind her. She looked over her shoulder as she felt his arms wrap around her middle, seeing him smile widely and Teddy now sat on his shoulders. “And you kicked arse when you did.”  
Ginny smiled. “You’re right, I did play well!”  
“Inny play!” Victorie cried.  
“That’s right, darling.” Bill said down to his daughter. “And she kicked arse.”  
Ginny couldn’t keep the smile off her face when she had to go back into the changing room to finish up. The other girls were really kind, telling her how well she played and expressing their love for Teddy, who’d tried to come into the changing rooms with her before she’d caught him and handed him back to his godfather.  
“Right girlys!” Gwenog had come back into the changing room now that she’d finished her press requirements. “You played really well today. You set a marker for the rest of this season. I want today to be our worst performance for the rest of this season, we build on what we did today, we get better and we grow as a team.” She swept her gaze across the room meeting every players eyes. “But seriously you did brilliantly today. Now go do your recovery, those that the healers sign off can have tomorrow off but I want everyone back in early Monday morning for a review and a preview of the Canons.” She paused again. “Great game girls.”  
The changing room came to life again, everyone going about their postgame recovery rituals as they gossiped and talked about particular moments from the game.  
She quickly changed into her normal clothes and stuffed all her Quidditch gear into her kit bag not noticing her coach until Gwenog called her name.  
“Ginny, a word please.” Gwenog said.  
Ginny agreed and followed the coach out of the changing rooms towards the recovery rooms.  
“I wanted to warn you, Ginny, about what happened at the post match press conference.” Gwenog seemed to grimace at the thought before she took a breath and continued. “Most of the questions were about you. And almost the entirety of those were not about your performance today. They were asking invasive questions about yourself and Harry, about if your relationship had gotten you your place on the bench, which of the other girls were now sleeping with him, that kind of thing. I of course shut these down, telling them of our selection policy and how it doesn’t involve Harry at any stage and that any more non-quidditch related questions would get them booted out of the conference.”  
Ginny sighed, she’d already had her share of unflattering articles written about her for just being Harry’s girlfriend. “Thanks for letting me know, Gwenog, guess I should tell my mum to avoid the gossip rags for the next few days.”  
Gwenog smiled at her. “You did good today Weasley, go rest up and I’ll see you Monday morning.”  
Waving to her boss, Ginny entered the first available recovery room. Taking the seat, the healer quickly casted some diagnosis spells, identifying the worst of the bruises now on her body. She then cast half a dozen muscle recovery spells at Ginny.  
“You should be fine; you won’t need to come in tomorrow.” The healer said. Ginny had to stop herself fist pumping right there. “Have an ice bath this evening and try to stretch and do some light exercises tomorrow, mainly cardio but some light weights would also be fine.”  
Ginny thanked the healer and made her way home.

//

Ginny slowly lowered herself into her ice bath. Merlin she hated these but she couldn’t argue with the results for naturally decreasing her recovery from particularly rough sessions or in today’s case a match!  
She’d not been able to stop smiling since it had finished.  
Ginny Weasley was now a professional quidditch player!  
She was now deep enough in the bath that only her head was above the surface. This was the time that Harry decided to come in to their bathroom.  
“Room for small one?” He joked.  
“If this is you trying to be funny about Teddy getting out of bed again I will kill you.” Ginny said, deadpan.  
Harry just laughed. “No, he’s asleep now, I just checked on him. I was actually talking about myself.”  
“Really? I’d never have guessed.”  
“Oh shut up Weasley, just trying to prove that the romance isn’t dead just yet.” Harry was pretending to sulk and Ginny could have laughed her head off if she didn’t have a better joke in mind.  
“Then by all means, please join me Mr Potter.”  
Ginny unabashedly stared at him as he undressed, he must have known she was watching because he undressed slowly teasing each reveal.  
Harry then began to lower himself into the bath before yelping and leaping back out.  
“What did you do?” He accused the laughing Ginny.  
“Re-re-recovery.” She managed to get through despite the laughs.  
Harry summoned his wand to him, “Oh really and how recovered are you feeling? Have you by any chance been recovering for long enough?” He asked.  
“Well Mr Potter, I think so but maybe I should wait a little longer. The team has a new owner and I wouldn’t want to disappoint him.” Ginny tried to look innocent knowing she was teasing him.  
“I’m sure he won’t mind.” Harry growled before heating the bath up to a more normal temperature with a wave of his wand and jumping in with her.


End file.
